Inner Sphere News Threads

[Holt]

Shark Supremacy Speaks on the matter of Mercenary Forces

The New Shark Supremacy government has issued a new decree stating that any mercenary forces that wish to leave the former Capellan territories may do so, but under a few conditions.

Any unit wishing to leave the new Shark Supremacy will submit their requests to their mercenary liaison and stand down in their garrison posts. Transportation will be arranged via Shark Supremacy merchant vessels, or in case that have they have their own transport; escorted by Supremacy forces.

Those units who adhere to these orders will be given a bonus of two stars of light Battlemechs upon reaching the edge of Supremacy Space and termination of contract.

Units who do not conform to these orders will be considered enemies of the state and treated accordingly.

Mercenary units who would like to continue their service with the Shark Supremacy are asked to inform their liaison for contract negotiations.   

[Cannonshop]

Duchess Ngo of Kowloon to award Clan Warriors for "Exemplary Courage" in Kowloon Battle.

Hue City, Kowloon, 20 August, 3091...

With the Coast Guard Rescue Tender Danh Tu hooked into the civil grid to provide emergency power to this city of thousands, and in sight of emergency shelter-camps, shuttles carrying the 43 New Dominion Navy and Clan Snow Raven survivors rescued over the last month by Rescue Service personnel landed at the secondary drop-port in Hue city.

They came in all shapes and sizes, from the diminutive (almost normal) Aeropilots, the gigantic Elemental phenotypes.  Some had to be ferried in wheelchairs, others with limbs in slings, or on crutches.

Duchess Ngo herself met them sporting a chrome, self-powered wheelchair and bandages-injuries earned in the defense of her homeworld.

"You will be returning to your people soon, I hope you are not embarassed to wear these-You stood when others said it was too impossible, you fought until you could not physically fight any longer, and you held on to the chance that you might somehow prevail when all seemed lost.  Doing the impossible, or doing what someone ELSE thinks is impossible, is worth something.  It shows a strength and moral courage that others might talk about, but do not have themselves.  It is the essence of Valour, and the soul of Gallantry.  You have everything to be proud of.  Without your help, the people here would be dead, like so many others, murdered uselessly by malevolent entities bent on destruction, no matter how random it is directed.  This medal dates back a long time.  The first ones were made in secret, to mark the courage of ancestors that stood at Xiao Loc where it took three Rim Worlds armies to overcome two short battalions of reservists.  the Fist của thách thức, or 'fist of defiance' some call it, but the official name is not near so grand, it is simply a medal of valour, and it might not seem important to your folks, but in normal times, I might be allowed to approve one, maybe two of them in a decade...so it is not some cheap 'lyran medal' for decorating a do-nothing's uniform.  This one has meaning, and you folks are the first outsiders ever to win it."  she paused, "What won it, was that you did not have to do that."  she shifted uncomfortably, and a pan up showed her neck was in a brace.  "You could have run, you could have suicided when your ships went down, or when you were cut off...but you kept fighting.  You fought and you held on when all seemed lost, and you did not have to...you did something to be proud of."

We now cut to our in-house analyst, Retired UIW Colonel Sam Ramirez, sam?

"Kowloonese don't give out medals, Tim.  The Union does, of course, but their specific units in the 171st don't authorize  wear or display of Awards and Decorations unless they were earned in some pretty extreme circumstances, and their local forces like the 1st ACR don't issue them at all unless you died.  People have heard of the 'Fist of defiance', of course, but she wasn't lying, they don't issue it often, and this IS the first time it's been given to offworlders-we're seeing history here."

[Cannonshop]

Death Count Reaches 1 Million, Exceeds. Casualty Reports remain incomplete.
Khe Sanh, Kowloon, 24 August, 3091
Associated Press

Reports of the death toll on Kowloon from the orbital bombardments experienced in late July continue to roll in, and the numbers are firming.  Authorities expect that the death tolls from the after-bombardment effects will continue to drive upward as the Planetary authorities struggle with the combination of infrastructure damage, raw casualties from the bombardment itself, and the coldest and harshest local winter on record.  This morning, reports have come in from the North Coastal areas, confirming disaster responders' worst fears. 

The Death toll tonight hangs at 1,027,552 with an estimated increase, based on orbital survey, of an additional half million before the end of the month, though Coast Guard authorities are warning that this number may sharply increase if another cold front from the south pole makes landfall in the next three days. 

[Dave Baughman]

Terran Hegemony Condemns Kowloon Raid, Offers Aid
Director General: TH Had No Knowledge Of Attacks

25 August 3091 - INN (TERRA)

For the first time since news of the attack on Kowloon reached the broader Sphere, Director-General Elias McKenna spoke publicly about the tragedy, condemning it as a crime against civilization.

"The events we have witnessed on Kowloon were the work of criminals and rebels, and the Terran Hegemony condemns them in the strongest terms. The Terran Hegemony stands ready to provide whatever aid the people of Kowloon require in rebuilding, and I have directed the Department of the Treasury to offer foreign aid loans to the Union of Independent Worlds in order to reinforce their economy against any after-effects of the attack. I have also been informed that both ComStar and NovaCom stand ready to send skilled technical personnel to repair damage to Kowloon's high-tech infrastructure."

"Let me be clear: the Terran Hegemony had no knowledge of this cowardly attack. The dark days of Precentor Apollyon's shadow government and its evil policies are gone, and the Terran Hegemony stands with the rest of the free people of the Inner Sphere against those who would return us to the chaos of the last war."

[Dave Baughman]

Latest Reports: Victoria, Highspire in Rebel Hands
Betelgeuse Sector Insurrection Reported Spreading

Voice of Capella (ZURICH) - 26 August 3091


Capellan Patriots, Dare to Think - Dare to Act!

According to latest reports smuggled out of the "shark supremacy" by brave patriots, forces loyal to the Celestial Throne have seized control of Victoria from the running-dog traitors attempting to surrender its factories to the Clan invaders. Meanwhile, our heroic leader Bhairava is leading the loyal Warrior Houses to total victory on Highspire, shattering the invaders' hopes for a meek acceptance of their rule.

In other exciting news, unconfirmed reports indicate that the entire 2nd Capellan Legion has remained loyal to their oathes and is engaging in death-defying battle to liberate nearby worlds. Fueled by a burning hatred of the backstabbing traitors who delivered their beloved nation into the hands of the alien invaders, the 2nd Legion is exploding out of Betelgeuse sector in a campaign of against-all-odds liberation.

Fellow Capellan Patriots, follow the example of these heroes of the revolution and prepare for action. Do not collaborate with the Clan invaders, stockpile food and arms, and be prepared to point out collaborators as your own planets' liberation cells become active.

Long Live Chancellor Bhairava! Xin Sheng!

[Cannonshop]

Duchess Ngo Speaks
Khe Sanh, Kowloon...
Associated Press International and Bedbug's Poliblog

25 August, 3091...

In her second press appearance since the attack, and the first since meeting with Dominion survivors, Duchess Amanda Ngo of Kowloon held a rally this morning in the refugee-choked city of Khe Sanh, on the northwestern edge of the Ia Drang Plateau.  Still injured from the battle, the Duchess has traded her wheelchair, for a light industrial exoskeleton, allowing her to stand and move with only minor difficulty.  She began the speech with a benediction in Hebrew, and a reading from the Torah.

Here is what she had to say (translation service provided by BedBug's Poliblog from the original text in the local Hebrew-influenced Vietnamese)

"good evening. Tomorrow is the Sabbath, but some of us will have to ask forgiveness, for there is too much work to be done, and it can not wait, I hope god understands." (laughter.)
"I have toiled with the question that many of our people have asked...'why'?  Why us? why now?  Why Here?  I do not have a good answer, or a wise answer, I may not even have the RIGHT answer.  What I know, is that we were attacked by criminals.  Well-financed, well-armed, well-equipped criminals, and I know that my people are suffering because of those criminals, and those who sponsored, sheltered, and preserved them up to now.  I have asked our intelligence services to find out who, find out where, and find out why.  With god's guidance, we will learn those things, and then, we will punish them.  We will teach them a lesson that will not be forgotten for a thousand years...but that is the future, the present, is what we must do for each other, and ourselves-we must survive to seek justice, and we must remember who we are.  This event is a test that we must not, as a people, fail..."

she draws in a breath, and lets it out in a cold plume of steam-the video shows local temperature is -3 Centigrade.

"and we will not fail. They will never break us, it is a lesson that Amaris did not learn, that the Caliphs and the Terran Alliance did not learn, that the Nazis and the Communists did not learn...but we will keep teaching them that lesson until, some day, they understand that we will not be broken, we will not be cowed, we will not be intimidated.  We are Kowloonese, we are the survivors and the avengers of Elbar, the scourge of the Rim Worlds Republic, we do not quit, we do not give up, we do not lay down, and we WILL prevail, just as our ancestors did in the Starving Years, as they did in the Long War, as they did after Dinh Diep...speaking of which..." she smiles for the first time,

"They apparently DID learn from that.  Where the galaxy turned away to excuse the destruction of a city to preserve a viper at its breast, this time, others have come forward with open hands, offering support, trying to understand.  We have, apparently, won the right to continue to exist in the eyes of the galaxy at large-I see no reason to turn away what is offered freely, it means we are not alone anymore."

[Dave Baughman]

Leak: ComStar Mulls Unilateral C-Bill Revalue
Stock Markets Spherewide React With Caution

MercNet Financial News (OUTREACH) - 29 August 3091


ComStar officials have so far refused to comment on the allegedly leaked documents published in "The Starling Report" yesterday, but stock markets throughout the Inner Sphere are already seeing a slowdown in activity and investors realign their portfolios to protect against the potential for economic disruptions.

According to the report, ComStar banking officials are planning to unilaterally impose fixed exchange rates between the international C-Bill and foreign currencies. The report claims that the move is in reaction to currency speculation and is intended to boost market stability, but critics have already denounced the move as an effort to undermine the economies of the Successor States.

[Dave Baughman]

War Measure Fails In Star League Council
THAC condemns "irresponsible" Free Worlds League vote

INN (TERRA) - 1 September 3091

A vote to mobilize the Star League Defense Force to liberate the Capellan Confederation failed in the Star League Council earlier today due to opposition from the Free Worlds League and the Federated Suns. The Terran Hegemony Advisory Council quickly condemned the move; in a press conference earlier today, Director-General Elias McKenna said,

"This is yet another example of the selfish and irresponsible policies of the Free Worlds League placing the freedom of the Inner Sphere in jeopardy. The Terran Hegemony is currently reviewing its options in light of this Council vote and stands by the freedom-loving people of the Capellan Confederation."

In other news, NovaCom stock rose three percent today following higher-than-expected profits in...

[Cannonshop]

High Road to be Homeport for Captured Leviathan?

Union Military Officials continue to deny reports that the Leviathan II class superbattleship captured in Kowloon orbit during the bombardment last month, has been, or is being, moved to one of the High Road stations.  They have confirmed that the large-signature jump reported from the Boojum Orbitals was the ship being moved, to a "secure location" after rumours of several nations offering to purchase the vessel, and at least one allegation that an un-identified Clan has attempted extortion to secure it.

"It is being moved to a secure location until such time as it has been cleared as 'safe' to use."  CNO Admiral Giao Pham stated when asked.  "At this time, I can only confirm that the Office of Naval Intelligence is currently securing the vessel's contents and ordinance to prevent accidents while the Congress decides what we will do about the ship."

In a separate conference, Duchess Amanda Ngo, leader of hte Kowloon system and controversial figure after decorating several Dominion personnel for their part in the defense of her home system, has confirmed that the Leviathan-class vessel has been moved out of the system.

"Too big a prize, when you have one like that, everyone wants it, or wants it back. If they have to look for it, that buys us time."  she said in an interview with DBC Arluna, "I am cooperating with our national security authorities, so I won't tell you where it's going, only that it is going to a location that is considered secure, where it will undergo testing and examination until such time as a decision has been made on final disposal."

[Dave Baughman]

F.S. Bank Warns Against ComStar Currency Plan
"Chaos" predicts Bank of New Avalon

Fox Holo News (NEW AVALON) - 28 September 3091

Reacting to ComStar's recent announcement that it plans to unilaterally revalue the C-Bill relative to House currencies and the Kerensky, a top official at the Bank of New Avalon predicted "financial chaos on a scale not seen since the eve of the Battle of Luthien."

Going on to describe the move as "a cynical move to promote Terran interests at the expense of the rest of the Star League," the BONA official predicted serious market disruptions throughout the Inner Sphere.

"Large corporations and individuals alike have kept their savings in C-Bills for centuries. We're already getting reports from other regions in the Suns that market speculators are causing serious fluctuations in the value of the Pound, and now ComStar is talking about freezing large currency transactions until the revaluation is completed."

Even on condition of anonymity, the official would not comment on what percentage of F.S. government accounts are currently held in C-Bills.

[Cannonshop]

Congress Declares War
-Arluna

After months of investigation, hearings, and debates, the Union Congress met this morning to examine only one issue.

What to do about the attack on the world of Kowloon.

This morning, by a vote of 54 to 6, with ten members abstaining or absent, Congress has passed and submitted for the Archducal signature, Special Bill 41-Declaration of War against the Manei Domini and their allies.

According to constitutional provisions, this bill still requires either the signature, or veto, of the Archduchess before taking effect, but due to interpretation by the Supreme Court of the Union of Independent Worlds, a Veto can be overridden by a simple 60% majority-a margin well below the margin of passage in this morning's vote.

This declaration marks the first time that official war-footing has been supported as a public policy, and the first time the Nation has, in fact, formally declared war on a foreign power.

Provisions within special bill 41 include the suspension of normal "peacetime" policies with regards to military action, including authorization for the use of thermonuclear weapons, orbital bombardment, and massed aerial "Firebombing" bombardments in non-defensive postures, and the suspension of all acceptance of Trials and Trial style combat for the duration of the war footing, as well as special provisions de-authorizing Union forces in issuance of trial-style combats...

[Cannonshop]

Request for Proposals:

A light to middleweight Warship with a patrol endurance of 18 months or greater, Capacity to support 18-24 Fighters and 12-24 150-200 tonne small Craft for the deployment of up to 1 Battalion of space marines.

Integrated antiair defense is a must. 

Vessel must be comparable in throw weight to existing Destroyers with adequate armament to survive a standard Naval Engagement against an average vessel of equal mass.

Minimum of 1, maximum of 2 drop-collars required.

Mission Profile is split Escort for larger vessels and long-endurance deep range solo patrol/naval recon.

Request minimums for accelleration in the 2-3 gravity range at sublight speeds.

Ideally, vessel should be maintainable, using common or off-the shelf components wherever possible to reduce production and maintenance costs, and should support an effective self-maintenance capability in excess of 75%.

For proposals, contact:

UIW Naval Contracting Office,
Department of the Navy,
Grantsville, Arluna, Union of Independent Worlds,
HPG routing# JF1313UIW897623

Request closes 03/15/3091
cross-posted to the CBT forum Here